Top-bow clamp.



A. E. THOMPSON.

TOP BOW CLAMP.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 11, 1012.

1,061,574, Patented May13,1913.

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whereby the strap may be drawn taut, to

llbllllll) STATESPATENT FFlCE.

AUGUSTUS E. THOMPSON, 0F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

TOP-BOW Lemma.

Application filed October 17,

To all fro/om 'it may concern e it known that l, Auous'riis E. lnowrson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massacluisetts, have inveiited eertain new and useful lniynovements in 'l`op- .Bow Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to impr-moments for coniinii'ig in a folded condition the top of an auton'iobile, or otherl vehicle, said top being composed of bows hinged to the body, and a flexible cover supported by the bows. `When the top is folded the end portions of the bows extend approximately horizontally back Yard from the hinges that connect them with the body and are disposed side by side in tiers.

My invention is embodied in a clamp which includes a rigid rest for the lower bow, adapted to be attached to the bodyv of the vehicle, a flexible strap adapted to surround the tier of bows, the outer end of the strap being adapted to be coupled to the rest, and a take-up device connected with the rest and to the inner end of the strap,

cause it to firmly hold the tier of bows upon the rest.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificatio1i,-Figu1e 1 represents a side elevation of a bow clamp embodying my'invention, and portions of a series or tier of bows held thereby. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

rlhe saine reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings, 12 represents a rest adapted to be attached to the body of an automobile, or other vehicle, and to support the lower member' of a tier of backwardly folded top bows 13, the upper surface of the rest being preferably concave or recessed, as shown by Fig. Q, to conform to the curvature of the under side of the lower bow 13, so that late al movement of a bow held against the rest as hereinafter described, is prevented.

The rest is adapted to be secured to an arm 14, attached to the vehicle body, the rest being provided with an ear 15, perforated to receive the arm 111, and provided with a set-screw 16, whereby it may be rigidly secured to the arm.

The rest has the general shape of a sub- Specicaton of Letters Patent.

CLAMP.

Patented May 13, 1913.

1912. serial No. 726,394.

stantially rectangular fratrie, the vertical side members of which have bearings in which a shaft 17 is journaled. The portion of the shaft between the bearings constitutes a spool or reel, to which the inner end of a flexible strap 1t) of leather, or other suitable material, is attached. Said strap is of suilicient length to extend entirely around the tier of bows, as shown by Fig. Q, and is provided at its outer end with an eye Q0, adapted to engage a hook 21 formed on the outer side of the rest 12, said eye and hook constituting coupling members whereby the outer end of the strap may be connected with the rest. The shaft 17 is extended from one end of the rest and adapted to be rotated to take up a portion of the strap 19 and tighten the same upon the tier of bows. The shaft may be conveniently rotated by a handwheel Q3, or other suitable device, attached to its outer end. VRotation of the shaft in the direction required to unwind the strap is prevented by means such as a ratchet Qet, attached to the shaft 17, and a pawl 25, pivoted to the rest and held by a spring 26 in engagement with the pawl.

The rest being attached to the vehicle body and the bows 13 turned down so that the lower bow bears on the rest, the tier of bows may be secured by drawing out the strap while the pawl Q5 is disengaged from 'the ratchet 2%1- until a sufficient length of the strap is provided, the strap being then brought over the tier of bows and its eye 20 coupled to tho hook Q1. The shaft 17 is then turned in the direction required to take up the surplus length of the strap and tighten it. on the tier of bows, the strap being held taut by the pawl and ratchet.

The strap is preferably provided with a longitudinal slot QS, adapted to receive projections such as curtain fasteners which are attached to the outer sides of the bows of certain makes of automobile tops.

'Ihe shaft 17, the ratchet 21.1-, and the pawl 25 constitute i take-up adapted to tighten the strap and maintain it at the desired degree of tension.

l claim:

A bow clamp comprising a bow rest adapted to be secured to a vehicle body and having a recessed bow-supporting upper surface` a hook at one edge of said surface, and bearings below said surface and hook, a reel 'jourualed in said bearings, a flexible strap g f 1,061,574c

attached at its inner end to said reel and and means for preventing backward rotaadapted to be extended therefrom across the tion of Jche reel. l0 opposite edge of the recessed surface around In testimony whereof I have axed my a tier of bows supported by the rest, and signature, in presence of tWo Witnesses. 5 provided at its outer end With an eye adapt- AUGUSTUS E. THOMPSGN.

, ed to engage said hook, the reel being pro- `Witnessesz vided With a handle whereby it may be ro- C. F. BROWN, tated to bind the strap on the tier of bows, PETER W'. PEZZETTI.

Copies of this patent may *be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C. 

